Articles

Well, it’s that time of year again, where a look back at the year gives us reflection and inspiration for the year ahead, and photo compilations are everywhere. However, National Geographic just published their best images of 2016, and it is not to be missed. The photographs include some you may recognize, and some you may have overlooked, and even some awe inspiring underwater ones.

The Sea Save Foundation’s annual auction is open now for bids. It features over 50 diving trips from around the globe. Proceeds raised by the auction will be used to Sea Save’s groundbreaking conservation work. The auction will close on 22 December.

A digitally manipulated image of a great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) apparently breaching is the subject of an elaborate hoax. An individual going by the name of Bob Burton, is claiming to be a National Geographic magazine’s “chief” photographer and that the image is National Geographic’s “photo of the year”. National Geographic denies that Burton is an employee and states that they do not award a “photo of the year”. Image from Shutterstock.

National Geographic has just published an article that follows scientists through Antarctic waters as they try to determine how whale species are adapting to less ice and warmer temperatures. National Geographic Explorer Ari Friedlaender, of Oregon State University, is in the Antarctic to study humpback whales and Antarctic minke whales. The population of minke whales, who depend on sea ice for survival, has dropped while the population of humpback whales, who thrive in open ocean, have grown significantly.

Adobe’s Lightroom Coffee Break offers quick (60 second or less) tutorials about some of the app’s useful and often more esoteric features. Benjamin Warde offers a concise guide to using the View Mask to edge sharpen images.

The Department of Justice has fined Princess Cruise Line a fine for deliberate ocean pollution. The $40 million fine is “the largest-ever criminal penalty involving deliberate vessel pollution” according to the Department of Justice. The illegal pollution was reported by a whistleblowing engineer who quit over the practices in 2013.

The Durban Underwater Club (DUC) is calling for entries for the DUC Shootout. Entries can be captured from Mozambique to the West coast of Southern Africa, including natural inland sites in 4 categories. Images must have been taken between now and 31 May 2018.